SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME Sociological Theories of Crime

SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME

Sociological Theories of Crime �Crime is a result of social or cultural forces that are external to any specific individual, exist prior to any criminal act

Sociological Theories of Crime �Emerge from social class, political, ecological, or physical structures affecting large groups of people.

Sociological Theories of Crime �Two types of explanations◦ Structural and subcultural

Structural Theory of Crime � Emphasize that most people have similar interests and motivations but differ dramatically in opportunities to employ their talents in socially legitimate ways

Structural Theory of Crime �Discrepancies between individual’s aspirations and their means of attaining those aspirations create strains that lead to crime.

Structural Theory of Crime �What are examples of these discrepancies between aspirations and means of attaining?

Structural Theory of Crime �Cultural, language, finance, inadequate schooling, economic adversity, community disorganization

Differential Opportunity Theory � Lower subcultures want to succeed through legal means but when blocked are frustrated and turn to crime � Makes the assumption that persons who grow up in crowded, impoverished, deteriorating neighborhoods endorse conventional, middle class goals

Differential Opportunity Theory � Crime is an illicit means to gain the understandable ends. � Youthful crime, especially in gangs, is an outgrowth of this.

Differential Opportunity Theory � What are the limitations of this theory?

Differential Opportunity Theory � Limitations ◦ No evidence that lower-class youth find limited school success to be more frustrating than do middle-class youth ◦ Do lower class youth aspire to middle class values? ◦ Crimes often committed by people who have never been denied opportunity �E. g. Martha Stewart, Illinois governors

Rational Crime Theory �Illegal behavior that makes sense because the person is rewarded �Relatively �Crime low risk of detection encouraged by the golden opportunity

Rational Crime Theory �Four contexts where rational crime is most likely to be committed �Situations ◦ where objects or money are easy targets �E. g. shoplifting ◦ where work is otherwise legitimate but make crime easy e. g fraud, business crime ◦ Where crime is a preferred livelihood e. g. organized crime

Rational Crime Theory �Situations ◦ where crime is organized as a business around illegal products �Prostitution, gambling, drugs

Rational Crime Theory �Two Main Problems ◦ Does not explain repeated, violent crimes ◦ Does not explain why given the same golden opportunity all people do not commit crimes

Subcultural Theories of Crime �Crime originates when various groups of people endorse cultural values that clash with the dominant, conventional rules of society. ◦ Example: gangs �Group within a group- gangs may replace family

Focal Concerns Theory �Walter Miller’s theory �Criminal activities of lower-class adolescent gangs are an attempt to achieve those ends valued in their culture through behaviors best suited to obtain those ends. So youth must adhere to traditions of lower class.

Focal Concerns Theory �Six basic characteristics/values ◦ Trouble ◦ Toughness ◦ Smartness ◦ Excitement ◦ Fate ◦ Autonomy

Focal Concerns Theory �Limitations ◦ Does not explain crime by those who are not socially disadvantaged ◦ Some concepts are vague �Ex. How are they transmitted from one generation to another?